


It's A Long Walk Away

by Snow



Category: Firefly
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Prehistoric, Community: au_bingo, Gen, Prehistoric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-01-03
Updated: 2011-01-03
Packaged: 2017-10-14 09:47:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/147954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snow/pseuds/Snow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU: Prehistoric.  Zoe punches Jayne for making fun of Wash's hunting abilities.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It's A Long Walk Away

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the au_bingo square of Historical: Prehistoric.

Zoe is skinning the meat from the deer she had killed that morning when the main hunting party finally returns, announcing themselves with the dank stench of rotting meat and a clamor of voices.

"We'd be far more effective if we spent less time worrying about being dragged down by the slowest."

"Any reason you can't split up?" Zoe asks.

They notice her, then, and the largest, Jayne, turns to regard her.

Zoe grins in the face of his obvious disdain, wondering what it is he thinks he has to say. He's never impressed her with his observations before.

"Your man is a terrible hunter," he says, sneering at her.

Zoe shoots a smile at Wash, before turning to face Jayne slowly. She knows Wash won't take any unintended sting from her words. "No one said you had to take him with you."

"I think he's worried he'll get lost without me there to guide," Wash jumps in.

Zoe shakes her head at him, but it's too late. Jayne won't respond well to clever words.

Indeed, the man lets out a roar but surprisingly keeps his focus on Zoe rather than turning to beat Wash into a pulp. "He's a quarter the man I am."

Zoe tilts her head, then. "Do you seek to insult me by implying that I am a woman who has made a poor choice of companion?"

"Perhaps he misled you with his funny words." If that's Jayne's idea of an apology he needs to work on that particular skill set.

"Do you think clever words make someone less a man?" Zoe asks.

"They certainly don't help."

Zoe twirls the knife absentmindedly in her fingers. She had simply forgotten to set it down, but now she's contemplating another use for it. "That would explain your inability to form a complex sentence. I'm sorry, but I do seek something more from a partner than that they be able to sneak up on a deer."

"Shouldn't you also be looking for a good fuck?" Jayne asks. "Because I assure you, I'm-"

Zoe tosses the knife aside to let it clatter to the cave floor. She doesn't need it to take on Jayne. Zoe is fairly certain he doesn't see her coming until her fist was an inch from his nose, because it isn't until she's there that he flinches, stumbling back and muttering rapid-fire apologies. At that point, though, she has too much momentum to pull her punch, even if she wanted, which she doesn't particularly. Her fist smashes into his nose, and she pulls it back as the blood start to spurt, already preparing for the follow-up stomp to the toe.

Jayne starts swearing immediately, but it takes awhile until the swears make anything meaningful. Zoe contemplates giving up hope that they ever will.

"Shit, Zoe, I'm _sorry_ ," he eventually manages, still holding a hand up to his nose and watching her warily, like he's trying to anticipate where she'll attack him next.

It's not an attitude Zoe minds. "Are you?" she asks. "Or next time would you like me to send you out _without_ Wash to help you find your way back?"

"No thank you," Jayne managed through gritted teeth.

Zoe rewards him with a smile. "Good. Wash?"

"Yes love?"

Zoe picks up her knife again, and gestures at the deer. "Give me a hand with this?"

"My pleasure," Wash replies, coming in close to drop a kiss on her lips before backing off to be actually helpful.

**Author's Note:**

> I welcome and appreciate comments, including constructive criticism.


End file.
